


Not Quite

by Vanann



Category: The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Vampires, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 01:51:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14843334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanann/pseuds/Vanann
Summary: Bonnie and Damon are alive. Not just alive, they are in Mystic Falls as part of their road trip. What happens when the Scooby squad finds out? Where have they been and why don't they remember anyone? ~Previously Posted on Fanfiction.net~





	1. Chapter 1

"All I'm saying, is that it would Mystic Falls sounds like the setting of a terrible tv show."

"True. But a small town in the fall? I am here for it."

"Bon, I love you. I really do, but it sounds boring. We could be in New York, listening to live music in Nashville, or gambling in Vegas... yet, you pick Mystic Falls?" Damon says, as he pulls the car into the parking lot of the local bar and grill.

"Yes. It sounds sweet, plus it's a cross country road trip. You had to have realized that we'd stop in at least a few small towns," Bonnie replied as they get out of the car.

"I guess. At least you're here, otherwise I'd kill myself. I mean Mystic Grill? Really? These small towns have no imagination." He takes her hand as they walk in and head to over to a booth.

"Says the guy who only wears black."

"Hey, if it worked for Cash, it works for me. Besides, I make this look-"

"Bonnie?!"

The young couple both turn to see a blonde female and a taller sandy blonde male looking at them in shocked excitement. "Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

The bubbly blonde dashed over and grabbed Bonnie's hand and looked at her with her wide blue eyes. Then she hugged her tightly. "OMG! It's you! It's really you! I have to call Elena. I have to call Alaric. Jeremy is going to be so excited. I'm so excited! I'm even happy to see you Damon! Stefan is going to be so-"

"Let me guess, excited?" Damon pried the blonde from his shocked and confused companion. "I'm sure they will all be beside themselves. But first why don't you tell us who you are and why you are hugging my wife like she just found the cure for cancer."

The blonde girl froze, but this seemed to wake the other man from his dazed state. "Wait, wife?! And what do you mean? You don't know who we are?"

Bonnie looked at Damon with raised eyebrows, before turning back to the other two. "We have no idea who you are, but apparently you know us. And yes, wife. As in, I'm his wife and he's my husband."

"Who are you? And how do you know us?"

"I'm Caroline and this is Matt. And I've known Bonnie since we were in Kindergarten! She's my best friend! She, Elena, and I are basically sisters. When you guys disappeared we tried everything. Witches, voodoo priestess, even tried to make a deal with the devil himself, Klaus. But nothing worked. But you are here!"

"Witches?"

"Klaus?"

"Okay, I know you think I'm crazy. I can prove it. Look at my pictures." Caroline quickly opens an app on her phone before turning it to show a picture of what looked like Bonnie in a cap and gown. Then another with her, Bonnie, and an unnamed brunette, all in the same caps and gowns. Then one of Bonnie and Matt, same outfit. Then Bonnie with a different guy. Then pictures at what looked like a college campus with the same girls. A picture of a younger Bonnie glaring at Damon, while a new different guy tried not laugh in the background. Then the brunette girl and Damon kissing. Then Bonnie and the second guy kissing. They looked at picture after picture of their other life.

"What."

"The."

"Actual."

"Fuck?!"


	2. Chapter 2

After calming them down, Caroline and Matt convinced the two to meet them at the Boardinghouse. Then, after giving Bonnie and Damon directions, they sent out an SOS to the rest of the group. They pulled up to the house, but did not get out of the car immediately.

"They don't know us."

"Care. They might not remember us, but at least they are alive. Right?"

"Of course. You're right, of course. They are alive! Bonnie and Damon are alive! Bonnie is alive, Matt! We figured out a way to remove the traveler's spell, we can figured out their memories. I'm just so happy that she's alive. Bonnie is back!"

Matt smiled as he got out of his truck, happy to see that Caroline seemed to return back to her hopeful self. He looked up to see a black Camaro pull up, Matt laughed. 'I guess some things don't change,' he thought to himself.

"STEFAN!"

"Care, I'm a vampire. You really do not need to yell. What is it that you wanted…" Stefan froze.

"Wait… Vampire? What the actual fuck?"

"Yeah, I'm with Judgey here. What the actual fuck?"

"Is this some weird satanic cult? Vampires, witches, and voodoo. I'm thinking that this was a bad idea. No, actually I was already thinking that. Now, I truly believe that Damon and I should get the hell out of dodge."

"So… We are just going to go."

Damon and Bonnie grabbed each other's hands and started backing away. Before they were able to make a break for it, the door slammed open and revealed a group of people. They recognized them from the pictures that the Satan worshiping blonde had shown them. 'Holy shit!' Damon thought, 'What if he and Bonnie were a part of a cult and when we tried to run away… We must have been in some sort of accident! That's why we both had weird memory problems! That must be why Bon wanted to come to this town, she must have remembered it. Because seriously, who chooses Mystic Falls over, well anywhere else?'

Bonnie looked at Damon and saw that her husband was spiraling, as he was prone to do. She squeezed his hand, "Damon."

He visibly relaxed and smirked at his wife. Then, he tensed again, remembering the group that blocked their escape route.

"Damon?"

"Bonnie?"

"Bonnie!"

"Bonnie? Damon?"

"That would be us. And as much as we would love to stay and chat, maybe have tea, we have to go… anywhere other than here."

"What he said." They started easing forward, but the group only closed in on them. "We are going to die."

"I blame you, Judgey! 'Small towns in the fall? I'm so here for that!' No rational person wants to go visit a small town."

The older man reached for Damon, as if to hug him. "I am so happy to see you, man. I missed my drinking buddy."

"Look," Damon said while stepping away from the man, "It's not me, it's you. I just don't feel the same way. I'm sure you have a lovely personality, but I'm already taken. See? Married." He raised his left hand to show off his wedding band.

"Wait, you are married? To who?" Stefan said, finally regaining use of his voice.

"To this delicious morsel, obviously. Why else would we be holding hands? That's not just a thing I do."

Everyone, other than Caroline and Matt, stare at Bonnie in shock.

"But… You hate him!" The brunette yelled, as if Bonnie would take her word as gospel.

"Bonnie! How could you marry him? He killed me! He killed your mother, and your grandmother!" A younger man yelled this, and grabbed Bonnie's arm in frustration.

"Listen, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I do not know who you are. And I certainly do not appreciate you grabbing me. So if you don't want to get punched by me, or get killed again apparently by my husband, I would suggest you keep your hands to yourself."

"I, once again, have to ask what the actual fuck? If I killed you how are you standing in front of us right now, Genius? Also, you put your hands on my woman again, I'll make you wish I had killed you. I. Don't. Share." Damon said emphasized each word by poking the kid in his chest.

"I should take you out right now. It would save everyone some heartache, you psycho-"

"Enough! Everyone shut up, and sit down. The only thing that I care about is the fact that my best friend is alive. So we are going to all introduce ourselves and discuss this calmly. Do you understand?" Caroline looked at everyone in the room.

"…"

"I said, do you understand. Yes or no."

"Yes," came everyone's reply.

"Great! Who wants to go first?"


	3. Chapter 3

The Bright Light

"Do you think it will hurt?"

"I don't kn-"

"Know." A man and a woman stood hand in hand, on the side of the road with their free hands covering their eyes. They both looked around in confusion and then at each other.

"Okay, Judgey… what did you do now?"

"Damn it, Damon! This was not my fault. I was just trying to help everyone get out of the… of the… Hmm. What are we talking about?"

"We're talking about how once again you went and selflessly… did the thing. The thing that you did, which I totally remember." Damon grimaced and shook his head. "Okay, so I don't know what we were even talking about. In fact, I'm going to be honest. I don't really remember anything. I know that I know you. You're Bonnie, I'm Damon, and we argue. It's what we do. I also know that you and I make great team and that I think you are beautiful when you're mad."

"Right. And I know that you and I used to hate each other, but now we… Did you just say that I'm beautiful?" She suddenly realized they were still holding hands and she quickly released his.

"Of course I think that you are beautiful. Fighting with you is something that I look forward to, and my day isn't complete until you roll your eyes at me. Plus, you're funny and smart and loyal to a fault. Sometimes, I wish you weren't so loyal because the people you give your loyalty to do not deserve it at all. I just can't remember who they are or any specific circumstances."

Bonnie smiled and ducked her head, "I, uh, I don't know what to say."

"You sure? There's not anything that you want to say to me?"

"I guess you aren't horrible." She laughed at his frustrated face, "Okay, okay. I maybe don't hate fighting with you either."

"Annnnd?"

"And, you are kind of pretty." Bonnie rolled her eyes.

Damon grinned, "Now say you love me and give me a kiss."

"Not happening."

He shrugged. "Worth a shot. So, can you remember anyone or anything besides me?"

"Not even a little."

"Great," he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He looked at his id, "Damon Salvatore: Age 22, address in New York, and dangerously handsome."

Bonnie shook her head at his smirk and patted her outfit to see if she could find any sort of identification. She came up empty. "I don't seem to have any id on me. So, all I know is that my name is Bonnie and I think my last name starts with a B."

"Yes. Bonnie Bad-Ass Salvatore."

"Although I agree that I am badass, we are not married."

"Ah but we could be. Just think Bon Bon, you and me traveling the world together. I will be the Clyde to your Bonnie any day. I mean, can't you feel it? We are important to one another. Plus, you are smoking hot and you think I'm pretty… why wouldn't we be together?"

"Damon, you don't actually think that we are together, do you?"

"Come on, Judgey, I don't know. All I know, is that when I look at you things feel right. And I know, we don't really remember anything. Yet, I know that you are the only person who can call me on my shit and walk away unscathed. I know that I've never had to pretend to be anything other than me when I'm with you. And I know that I want to be a better man with you. Not because I feel unworthy, even though I am, but because you make me feel safe enough to try."

She sniffed. "Aww, Bon. Are those tears in your eyes?"

"No. Shut up!" He laughed and smiled at her fondly. "Okay… maybe I can see how we would be together. When I'm with you I don't feel scared or like I have to sacrifice my wants for yours. In fact, I think that I'm my most badass with you. But, don't you want to find out what and who we have forgotten, and how we ended up on the side of the rode in the middle of nowhere?"

"I'll admit, I'm slightly curious. But I know that if finding out means that I lose you, I will chose to remain in the dark until the end of days."

"I don't remember you being such a sap."

He pushed her affectionately and then grabbed her hand again. "Don't worry, my little Bon Bon. I'll still do my best to annoy you till my dying breath."

She shook her head, and going on instinct, she stood on her toes and quickly kissed his cheek. She started to walk, and he stood dazed until their still joined hands forced him to follow.

"So what now?"

"I don't know, but your husband has a black card," he grinned wickedly and wiggled his eyebrows at her. There's the Damon she remembered. "So, wife, how about we keep walking until we either find a town or someone to take us into town? Then we can check into the swankiest hotel that the town has to offer. And in a month, after I've had sufficient time to kiss and lick and bite every single inch of your body, then we can go back to New York and figure out what to do next."

Her throat went dry and her eyes were glazed as his thumb caressed the skin on her hand. She cleared her throat, which did nothing because he was looking at her with eyes so dark and full of lust. She forced her eyes away from his and cleared her throat again. "I um… That sounds perfe… I mean, I thought we decided that we weren't married."

"I thought we decided that we should be?"

"Should doesn't mean are."

"Okay, then let's correct that as soon as possible. We can make this a honeymoon and take three months instead of one."

"Oh goddess," she whispered to herself. Not quite quietly enough because his lips quirked. "We should go back to your place in New York before we start planning our wedding. What if we have significant others? We could start to remember and want to be with them. If we got married then we would have to get a divorce and it would be a mess."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"No what, Damon?"

"No to all of that. No to wanting to be with other people. No getting a divorce. When, and I do mean when, we get married it will be for life. No divorce. Ever."

"Huh." Bonnie didn't really have a response to that.

"But, I am willing to wait to get married until after we go to New York. If we don't find anything in our apartment that says we shouldn't be together, we get married."

She shook her head, because here was the stubborn Damon she knew. It also did not escape her notice that he had said 'our apartment.' "Damon, don't you think that I should get a say in whether or not we get married. You can't just give me an ultimatum. Besides, a girl likes to be proposed to. Which implies asking."

Where Damon was just so confident, he suddenly looked slightly hurt and insecure. "Do you not want to marry me? I thought you felt the same way. I mean, I can feel it when I'm touching you and I see it in your face, but maybe I'm wrong."

"Damon, of course I want to marry you! I'm just afraid that if we rush into things, you'll end up regretting it. I don't want to get hurt."

He grabbed her other hand and so that they were standing directly in front of each other. He ducked his head down so he could look her directly in the eyes. "I could never. I would never end up regretting you."

"Okay." She took a deep breath and slowly released it, "Okay, but can we slow things down… just slightly?"

"Sure. Just slightly. We'll wait to make love until tomorrow morning."

She laughed and smacked his shoulder. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Keep me," he said seriously. "Keep me and love me. Because Bon, I love you. I don't need my memories to know that you shine brightest in them. I don't need my memories to know that I'm in love with you. I feel it in every single cell in my body. You're it."

"God, Damon. I love you, too." His smile was blinding, "I'm in love with you."

He pushed her hair over her shoulder and slowly leaned in, "I'm going to kiss you now." She quickly closed the gap to touch her lips to his. The kiss was tender and loving and wonderful. Then his tongue licked the seam of her lips asking for entrance. She opened her mouth and soon their tongues were engaged in a passionate duel. Bonnie was suddenly grateful for Damon's tight and claiming grip, if not for it she would have fallen over. Damon was just plain grateful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damon is kind of OOC, but I think that it works. He's missing his memories of the last hundred and sixty plus years. This is kind of how I imagine him to be pre vampire. He's always been a bit of a romantic who jumps in feet first. And since he doesn't remember his walls, he doesn't have to worry about going with the status quo. Plus, he can finally pay attention to how he feels about his little Bon Bon without his Petrova clone obsession getting in the way.


	4. Chapter 4

Present Time: Boarding House

After quick introductions, everyone was sitting around looking at them expectantly. Bonnie and Damon were both regretting that she picked this town to visit.

"So," Caroline smiled, "Maybe you and Bonnie should go first."

Bonnie raised a brow skeptically, "Uh… You and Matt were talking about witches and voodoo priestesses and Mr. Forehead was talking about being a vampire. At best, you guys are eccentric, and worst you are all out of your minds. But," she stressed the word, "I'm going to go ahead and assume that it's safe to say that, that means that one of you crazies need to start talking. Because, as it is, my husband and I are out of here ASAP."

Caroline giggled with both relief that Bonnie was back, and nervousness about what she was about to tell them. "Okay. I'm going to show you something, but I need you to understand that you need to remain calm. We would never hurt you."

Damon did that thing where he widened his eyes, while somehow narrowing them simultaneously. "Get on with it, Blondie. This whole thing already smells sour."

She smirked at the nickname, took a breath, and showed the couple her vamp face. After changing back, she looked at them expectantly.

"…" Damon and Bonnie sat holding hands, with their mouths hanging slightly ajar, wide eyes unblinking.

"Uh, guys?"

Jolted out of their stunned state, they looked at each other nodded and got up. "This has been great," Bonnie said.

"Really, it has. But we just realized that this," Damon gestured around at the group, "is really not for us."

"So, thank you. But… no." They turned and started walking to the door, only to be once again find their way blocked.

The guy introduced to them as Alaric, was standing there with his hands up and an understanding look on his face. "Listen. I know that this seems crazy, but it's true. Now, we don't want to hurt you. You are my best friend. You were dating Elena," he pointed at Elena who had a disgusted look on her face. "And you are Stefan's brother."

Damon, not one to be told who he is. "First thing: Bonnie ismy best friend. Secondly: I don't care who I might have been dating. Bonnie is my wife. And lastly: Stefan might be my brother, but Bonnie is my family. So, unless you happen to be a 5'2", green eyed goddess, with a penchant for starting arguments and seeing the best in people, I don't know you. I don't trust you. And if I think for one moment that you are going to harm her, I will pull a Buffy faster than you can shout 'Joss Whedon.'"

Bonnie, by this point had turned so that her back was pressed to his. The look in her eyes practically shouted, 'SAME.'

Alaric gave a slight nod, "Understood. I can promise we can explain."

They walked back to the couch and sat down stiffly. "Before you start back up, are you all vampires?"

They looked around and nodded. Well, all except for two, Matt and the one known as Jeremy. "Actually, I'm a vampire hunter."

"Great job you're doing." Bonnie scoffed.

"Yeah, you've missed a few. I'll give you a hint; there are four, right here." Damon just shook his head.

"Seriously, is this Buffy?"

Stefan laughed, "What is with all the Buffy references?"

They both shrugged and said, "Joss is king." Bonnie continued, "Plus, Buffy was great. Have you watched the musical episode? So good."

"What? If he's a slayer, what is All-American? Alien?"

"Nope. All human. And the name's Matt. How is it, that even without your memories, you still can't say my name?"

"Name giving is my thing." He smirked.

Elena was tired of being ignored, "Maybe we should get on with the story, Care."

"Right."

They then proceeded to explain everything that had happen, with everyone inserting random information and facts when they felt the need. Stefan at one point grabbed a few photos from throughout their years, as proof.

"So, Bonnie is a witch and I am apparently a 160 plus year old vampire?"

"Yep."

"Only problem here… I'm not a vampire! I don't drink blood."

"And I'm not sneaking out to do… whatever it is witches do. I don't even have a wand!"

"You don't use a wand," Jeremy said.

Bonnie visibly deflated. "Well that sucks!"

"No wand, witchy? You're breaking my heart here, Salvatore. Here I thought I had caught myself my own little Hermione. You probably didn't even go to Hogwarts." Damon shook his head teasingly.

She laughed. "I mean, we don't have proof that I didn't."

"You didn't go to Hogwarts."

"Damn it, Jeremy. You really know how to let a girl down. First you tell me I'm a witch and then you take away Harry Potter from me? Ugh! So what? Am I one of those witches who worship demons and get their powers that way? Like in The Craft? Is it more like a Winchester brother is going to roll into town and take me out?"

"No way I'd let those idiots get their hands on you, Judgey."

"Aww, Damon. I won't let them get you either… even though you technically aren't a vampire, anymore at least. Huh, how does that work? Did he get a cure?"

"We don't really know. But his heartbeat is much slower than normal. Like a lot slower."

"A room full of vampires, talking about my heartbeat. Swell."

"Hey, this used to be you."

"So, Damon was really creepy and liked to talk about people's blood and heartbeats?"

"Worse. He was constantly talking about how easily he could kill me and liked to call me Mutt," Matt supplied.

"He did actually kill me. I'd still be dead if not for my ring… and well Bonnie a couple of times." Jeremy looked from his ring to Bonnie with a slight smile, as if hoping she would remember.

"He was constantly promising Stefan a life of misery. He stole Elena from Stefan. Not to mention our compelled relationship, where he basically used me as a blood bag." Caroline gave Damon a quick glare.

"He turned my bio mom, aka Alaric's wife, into a vampire." Elena was annoyed thinking about everything he had done. She had no idea why everyone kept saying they had dated. How could she have dated that maniac? And how was it possible that Bonnie was married to him?

"He tried to drain you when your ancestor possessed you. He always said how much he'd love to taste your blood again and you just generally did not get along." Stefan said this, but all it did was make him realize how much that Damon was different from this new version of his brother.

Bonnie turned and punched Damon in the arm. "Ouch, Bonnie! I'm sorry. I didn't do it. I mean, well I did do it, but not me me. Not this me."

"I know. But man you were an ass, and I don't know if past me ever got even."

"Yeah, but I'm your ass."

"Sap." He grinned as picked up her hand to kiss her palm.

"So, I get that I was a terrible person, but I've got a question. Where was Bon in all of this? I tried to kill her, but I apparently tried to kill everyone in this room. So, did she like never forgive me and that's why I was slumming it with doe eyes over there?"

"Excuse me?!" Elena stood up and vamped out.

"You're a vampire, we get it. And I didn't mean slumming it, as if you were a horrible person or hideous, although you went from one brother and turned right around and got with the other. So jury's still out on the horrible person thing. Anyway, I meant it more in the sense that it sounds like I was basically beginning to scraps. You looked like my brother's and my evil ex, who turned us into vampires. When I found out that she wasn't in some tomb like I dumbly thought, I start what, dating you? After you became sired to me? I mean, I just don't get why I would have wanted to date a clone of our ex and repeat the same cycle by dating another person who dated my brother.

It's clear that we were never meant to be together. So, I'm guessing that the only reason that I was dating you was because my witchy wife here couldn't stand to be around me. And when did that change? Because when Bonnie and I, woke up on the side of the road, we could remember each other and she liked me."

Everyone was in stunned silence after listening to Damon's assumption and summary of his and Elena's relationship. It's clear that he wasn't the same guy they knew and hated.

Bonnie continued Damon's line of thought. "Yeah, we remembered how we hated each other at first."

"I didn't hate y-" she silenced him by covering his mouth, without even turning.

"We hated each other at first, but we also remembered how we were an awesome team and had become sort of friends. Plus, the strongest feeling that we felt when thinking about the other, was love. Like a blindingly strong love. Damon assumed that we were married in whatever previous life we had. When I countered with logic, his reply was basically that if we weren't already married we should be."

"Seriously?" This was not tracking with what she knew about her best friend or her so called boyfriend.

"Just like that, man?" Alaric laughed.

"And you said yes?!" Jeremy couldn't believe it.

"If she's happy with him, what does it matter? I'm happy as long as he treats you well, Bon… He does, right?" Matt asked. Even though he didn't like Damon, he knew that Bonnie was always the only one who could really handle him.

Bonnie smiled at Matt. "Like a goddess."

Her smile softened when Damon wrapped his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

Caroline and Stefan had been noticeably quite. Caroline, due to her hopeless romantic rearing its head. "Aww! Damon, that it so adorable. I can even see it, what with the sparks that used to fly off you guys when you were arguing. I can only imagine how the sex is."

"Oh my goodness, Care! You can't just say something like that." Elena screeched.

Stefan looked from his blonde haired girlfriend to his brunette ex, and shook his head. That's how Caroline always spoke, and Elena knew it. He was annoyed that even with her memories of Damon gone, she was still felt the need to be center of attention.

"I'm going to be honest." Stefan looked at his brother, and everyone turned to him to see what he'd have to say. "This might possibly be the one thing that I've secretly been hoping for, for the longest time. I mean, not the whole basically dying, only to come back, and losing your memories part. But you and Bonnie? I've been waiting for you to realize that the way you felt about her was true love. And that what you felt about Elena was more obsession and transferred feelings.

Granted I was never completely certain how Bonnie felt, especially after all of the times we have all used her. And how we are all basically the reason that she has practically no family. But, I always hoped that she secretly loved you, Damon. I mean, who else can handle him like Bonnie can?"

Damon wiggled his eyebrows at Bonnie until she laughed.

Matt laughed, "I was literally just thinking that, Stefan. I don't think there was a person alive that could go toe to toe with Damon and walk away alive."

"The more I hear, the more I am certain of some things. One, Bonnie and I were meant to be. Two, I was a giant asshole who does not deserve her! Three, if Bonnie has 'died' more than twice, and we kept using her maybe it would be best for me to get her out of here. I'm not risking her. I won't."

"Damon, we-"

"No, babe. I don't deserve to even look at you, I get that. But I thank my lucky stars that you don't remember all of the horrible things that I have apparently done, and I don't want to chance that you might be needed for something and could die or be killed. Let's just jump in the car go straight to the airport. We can go anywhere in the world, you pick. But not here!"

"You can't leave! I mean, you just got here." Caroline's distressed eyes connected with Stefan's resigned gaze.

He didn't like it but, "Care, I don't like it, I don't. But I understand Damon's need to protect Bonnie. She's his wife and the only family that he remembers. Plus, you can't deny the fact that Bonnie has never fared well in this town. She's died twice. Her grams died, we turned her mother, and Silas killed her father. So of course he-"

"Right in front of me."

All eyes turned to Bonnie. "What, babe?"

"Silas killed my father, right in front of me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to end it like this. But hey, I wrote another chapter! It was probably unnecessary, but I felt the need to put in a bunch of pop cultural references. I just figured that, while they may not remember being supernatural, they would still be drawn to the idea of the supernatural. Hence the Buffy, The Craft, HP, and Supernatural references.
> 
> Hope you guys like where this is going. Catch you later… ciao!


	5. Chapter 5

New York City: Damon's Apartment

Damon and Bonnie stood facing each other in the living room of the apartment.

"Bon, this is proof!"

"No, it really isn't."

"So, the fact that this is supposedly my apartment, and I have two pictures of you here means nothing."

"Damon, two pictures doesn't prove anything. I could have two pictures of a celebrity crush and it wouldn't mean that we should get married."

"Maybe not. But… I have no other photos in here. We've looked and torn this place apart, and these two photos are the only personal items in here. I mean, I had one hanging on the fridge. That totally means that we were together."

"Possibly. I just. Ugh. Damon, I have no clothes here. I mean, sure that picture had my full name on it, but that's not much to go on. Bennett is a pretty common surname. Plus, how can we actually get married if I have no id?"

"Simple."

She waited, and then looked at him. "… yes? Are you going to share with the class?"

"I'm rich. Like ridiculously rich. And I even remembered my pin for my debit card, so that's good. So, we just get someone to forge things like a birth certificate and social number. Then, we apply for the marriage certificate. Boom!"

"Damon, I don't want forged documents!"

"It would still be your real name and everything." She chewed on her lip and he sighed. "Fine. If you want we can hire a P.I. to figure out who we really were. It's just going to take longer than I'd like."

She suddenly got a bad feeling. "No. No. Let's go with your first idea."

"Really," he asked hopefully.

"Really."

He smiled and picked her up and twirled her around.

"Wait, why?"

"Something tells me, that we shouldn't go digging into our past… At least not quite yet."

"Got it. Well then," he grinned, "I'm taking my girl shopping."

Three weeks later she had brand new documentation and new debit and credit cards set up in her name. Well, her new name: Bonnie Bennett-Salvatore.

Present Time

"Silas killed my father, right in front of me."

Everyone looked shocked.

"No one could see me, and no one could hear me. They wouldn't have even been able to comfort me if they had, because Silas compelled them or whatever to watch, while he sliced my father's throat."

"Baby, come here." Damon pulled a shaking Bonnie onto his lap and held her against his chest. With one hand he clutched her to him and with the other he tried to soothe her by running it over her hair.

Suddenly, he could remember another time he had held her just as close. They were on an island and Damon, had stayed behind looking for Bonnie. After hours, he still hadn't found her but he wasn't going to give up. And then he heard it, the sound of Bonnie's heart. He turned around, just in time to see her coming out of the trees.

"I could actually hug you right now," he remembered saying. Only to immediately wrap his arms around her.

Caroline stood up, "Bonnie? Do you actually remember? Do you remember everything?"

With her face still buried in Damon's neck, she shook her head no.

Damon kissed her head before turning his attention back to the others. "If it was anything like the memory that just resurfaced for me, then she wouldn't have. There was nothing from before it and nothing from after."

Everyone looked at him.

"What did you remember," Stefan said hopefully?

"Nothing horrible, unlike Bon Bon. I was on an island searching for this one," he said while nodding him chin towards Bonnie. "I was frantic and worried as hell. Then, there she was, calmly walking out of the forest. Next thing I knew I was hugging her, feeling immensely relieved."

Bonnie sat up in his lap, looking at his face. "I… I remember that. And I also remember you thanking me, at some parade. You had me pinned to my car and I was pissed at you. But there you were thanking me."

"Now that you said it, I remember that."

Alaric looked at the couple on the couch, "What if, and bear with me here… What if, whenever one of you remembers one of your guys' joint memories, so does the other?"

"That's great," Elena said smiling.

"I'm sorry, but are we all going to brush over the fact that Bonnie saw her father get murdered? Seriously? Am I the only one, outside of Bonnie and Damon who care about that little piece of information?"

"Caroline," Stefan tried.

"No. My best friend was not only dead, but she had to watch the most horrific thing in her life… And I was where? Hmm? Going to college, stupidly writing her letters and complaining, expecting her to be coming back soon. Then, when she is back I never even noticed that something was off. God, none of us did! Not to mention she was constantly in pain, having to be the anchor. Good god… Maybe she was better off."

"No," Jeremy shook his head. He wasn't willing to just let her go, now that she was here.

"Come on, Care. You don't actually think that." Elena didn't want to think about it. It she did, then she would have to agree with Caroline.

"Bullshit, Elena! And if you pulled your head out of your ass, for once, then you would see it. Damon is right; Bonnie isn't safe here."

"What the hell, Caroline?!"

"Maybe we should just-" Alaric was cut off.

"You really don't want to do this, Elena."

"No, I think I do. Tell me what you really think."

"I think you excel at running away from your problems. Don't get me wrong, we have all helped you to become this cheap imitation of you, who now stands before us. Damon and Stefan spent years coddling you and doing anything and everything in their power to protect you. And the rest of us? Well, we kind of just got swept up and swept to the side."

"So, this is my fault."

"I didn't say that."

"Then, what are you saying?"

By this point, Bonnie was no longer sitting in Damon's lap. They were both watching with apprehension, the scene that was unfolding before them.

"I'm saying that when the Salvatore brothers came back to this town, they were a hurricane destroying everything in their quest to save you and win your heart. And you let them. Bonnie's Grams died because they were trying to lift the tomb spell, so that Stefan could escape. Why, you ask? Oh, because you stupidly ran after Damon, and Stefan ran in after you. You were human, so they could have left the spell up and you would have been able to escape. But Bonnie knew you would be heartbroken, if Stefan was trapped.

Damon turned Matt's sister into a vampire, and Stefan had to kill her. They killed Mason, Tyler's uncle and turned Bonnie's mom into a vampire. But, it's okay, because you were fine. Time and time Bonnie was forced to use too much magic, too soon and it was killing her. And when you became a vampire and couldn't hack it, they begged Bonnie to try to find a way to fix it. You're a vampire Elena, explain to me why it was so hard for you to drink blood. Never mind, it was probably for the attention.

Anyway, Klaus terrorized us all because you didn't want to give him your blood. Sure, he probably didn't need more hybrids, but the guy just wanted to belong. So why the hell were we trying time and time again to keep him from getting your blood? It could have been so simple, like donating blood, but instead too many died.

And then, Katherine feeds your brother to Silas and Jeremy dies. Do you mourn? Nope. Everyone looks to Bonnie to try and fix it, never mind that it goes against nature. You turn off your emotions and try to kill Bonnie. And what does she do? She brings back Jeremy, for you. Never mind that she has to die. Never mind that this is the asshole that cheated on her with a ghost. Or that he's a vampire hunter. Nope, she still does it. And because she wants to protect us, she makes Jeremy promise to keep up the ruse so that we can have a great graduation. So that we can have a great summer. So that we can have a good college experience.

None of us noticed! How could we not have noticed that our best friend was dead? Why would we have ever believed that she was spending time with Abby? I mean, just thinking back on graduation, Bonnie was way too sad. She never included herself in any plans, and we still didn't see it. And I cannot tell you Elena, how much I hate Jeremy for not saying something immediately. I hate him so fucking much. But the truth is, I hate us even more. We should have noticed.

And still, when it was Damon who found a way to bring Bonnie, we were all too damn occupied with a bunch of bullshit to notice our friend in pain. I mean, we didn't know that she was dead, why would we know or care that she felt the pain of every supernatural death? Not only that, but none of us took the time to really even talk to her about her dad. We didn't really ask about her time on the Other Side. We weren't there to help her grieve, because Bonnie's never allowed to grieve. She's supposed to keep moving, in spite of every single family member being mowed down in the process. She's supposed to keep moving, stay strong, and be totally fine with all of us just going to her when we need some magical cure.

When she died again, literally bringing everyone back to life (minus Damon), you don't even really mourn her, Elena. Even Jeremy mourned her. Sure, he was super pissed off, despite her having brought you back and Alaric back. And sure, he spent way too much time drinking and sleeping around, but at least he mourned her. What did you do, Elena? You did some witchy drugs to hallucinate Damon, and only Damon, to help you cope. When that stopped working, you had Alaric compel your love for Damon away.

Yet, even still, you didn't mourn Bonnie. You know, I used to think that Damon was the reason that you became so selfish. But now I see that it's just who you are. Because here we are, you had no good memories left of Damon, and still didn't care about her. Hell, you never even tried to help bring them back. Seriously, what good are you? What is your purpose?" Caroline, with tears streaming down her eyes, shook her head in disgust.

Everyone was looking between the two girls in shock, before settling on Elena's face. Sure, she was crying, but the most dominate emotion on her face was that of anger.

"I can't believe you. I can't believe that you would say that about me. Or that you even believe it. I love Bonnie; she's my best friend. Which is clearly something you're not."

"Shut up, Elena."

"Jeremy?!"

"She's right. She's right and you know it. Hell, we all know it. Everything that she said about you is true. You may care, but not enough. Not as much as you should. And she's not wrong about the rest of us, either. Except for, maybe Matt. I never treated Bonnie the way I should have. As much as I hate to say this, Damon is right. Bonnie is happy, or at least she was. She is happy for the first time since all this began. Damon, we have always had our issues, but I see the way you are with Bonnie. I see how happy you make her and how much you love her. If I were you, I would pick her up, get in the car, and drive out of this hellhole as fast as you can. Do not ever turn back."

Alaric nodded. "As much as I want my drinking buddy back, you need to go. You need to protect Bonnie, and do the one thing none of us have able to do. Ensure she lives, and not just lives, but lives happily. This is your chance at happiness, take it and forget about Mystic Falls, man."

Matt swallowed and went next. "Damon, I'm not sure that I have one single good memory of you from before. But this person I see before me, isn't that guy. You love Bonnie, selflessly. Keep doing that and you'll have earned my respect. Leave town, and don't come back. And know, that when I say this, it's the first time I've ever been sad to see you leave." Matt started tearing up as he nodded his head at Damon.

"I already said this, but I guess I'll say it again. Leave. Do everything in your power to protect that woman sitting right next to you. Because Damon… I haven't seen you look so happy and free since before we turned. She's your saving grace, so protect her. Love her. Respect her. And ultimately, keep each other happy. Bonnie, I don't know what happened after you sent us back to the land of the living, but thank you. Thank you for giving me the chance to see the man I always hoped was still in there." Bonnie stood up and hugged Stefan.

She looked at everyone in the room, although Elena couldn't quite hold her stare. "Maybe, in the past you guys didn't try as hard as you could have, with me. But, thank you. Caroline and Matt, I saw how absolutely excited you were when you saw me. It was like someone had given you the best gift. So, I understand how much it pains you to tell us to leave. Thank you. Thank you for not being greedy with me. Thank all of you, for wanting to keep me safe."

"I concur with Judgey. From everything you guys have said, I know that I don't deserve her. I know that more than one of you, in this room, have done better by her in the past. Just know, despite everything that happened before, she is my world. She is my heart and my happiness. I will do everything in my power to protect her."

Everyone, with tears in their eyes, smiled and went to hug the couple goodbye. Elena had opted to go last and she went to take her turn. Bonnie left hand was holding onto Damon's right. So, when Bonnie reached to give Elena a one armed hug, Damon felt the electric shock that sparked through Bonnie.

Gasps and oh no's echoes throughout the room, as all eyes turned to the collapsed forms of both Damon and Bonnie. Both were lying on the floor of the entryway, unconscious and still holding hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I was not quite sure where this chapter was going, but I'm pretty happy with it. I really wanted someone to go off on Elena, and what better person than Caroline? In my mind, Caroline is Bonnie's cheerleader, so I write her as such in all of my fanfics. I know, in some of my other works, I write Elena as a better person. Buuuuut, if human Elena, from the end of season one and on, only annoyed me. Then, vampire Elena was the epitome of everything that I hate in a character that is lauded for no reason.
> 
> Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope you guys enjoyed. Ciao!


	6. Chapter 6

Boarding House

Everyone stood still for a moment, just staring at the passed out couple still holding hands.

Then Caroline jumped into action, speeding towards them and pushing Elena aside. She called out their names, check their pulses (totally weird that Damon had a pulse, slow or not), shook them, and nothing. She got no reaction from them.

Glancing over to Alaric she asked, "Do you have any idea what is going on? Can you think of something that could help them?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in hopes that he could think of anything. "I can look at my books, see if there is anything that pops out. But this entire situation seems to be something all its own and new. They should have completely died when the other side came down. Instead Bonnie doesn't have powers, Damon is a human with a super slow pulse, and they came to on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with no memories. They seem to be getting those memories back, and I think with it their supernatural side will return, as well."

"What do you mean?" Matt asked, not looking away from his childhood friend, who was collapsed on the floor.

"Did anyone notice the lights flicker when Bonnie and Damon where talking about their memories? And most of you guys are vampires, tell me that you heard Damon's pulse slow down even further, after he talked about reuniting with Bonnie on that island. Something is happening, and whatever spell or whatever that is affecting them is losing power the more they remember. And the longer they stay here, the more likely it seems that all of their memories will return."

"But they have only been in town a day! How could it be affecting them so quickly?" Caroline cried.

Stefan walked over to where she was still crouched beside her best friend and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What can we do? Should we drive them out of town and put them in a motel room, hope they wake up? Do you think that being here is what caused them to blackout?"

"No. I mean, not completely. I think that was caused by Bonnie touching Elena. If Damon hadn't have been holding Bonnie's hand, I don't think he would have been affected… at least not until he touched her himself."

"Hey," Elena turned to fully face him. "This isn't my fault. I don't have any powers or anything like that. And I would never have wanted to hurt them."

"Elena, I'm not saying you are at fault. I think it is your doppelgänger status that caused this."

"What do you mean? That got cancelled out when she became a vampire." Jeremy shook his head in frustration.

"No, not really. Sure, her blood doesn't work for Klaus anymore. But don't you remember Qetsiyah was able to draw on Stefan's connection to Silas. Same with the Travelers. There is still something magical about Elena's existence, even if she is a vampire now. I think that reacted with Bonnie and Damon, and caused them to…"

"What?" Caroline shouted. "Caused them to what?"

"I don't know. I am going to try something." He approached the sprawled out couple and kneeled somewhat between their heads. He placed a hand on both of their foreheads and closed his eyes.

Alaric opened his eyes to see… darkness. He was standing in darkness. It was everywhere he turned, and when he tried to call out his voice was silenced by the nothingness that surrounded him. He did his best not to panic and stay calm. He lifted his foot, hoping this would work, and stepped forward.

It was weird, it didn't really real like he was moving. And yet, as he took each stride, off in the distance he could see a kind of light. The closer he got to it, the more he could make out a figure. No. No, it is two figures. It's Bonnie and Damon!

The moment that Alaric could discern who they were, he started running and shouting. His vampire speed didn't work and his shouts her still silent. Still, he ran and screamed.

Until…

"-NIE! DAMON!" Sound rushed into his ears and Alaric laughed in relief. "Bonnie! Damon! Hey, can you hear me?"

At this point, they both turned towards him and smiled. Alaric was about to ask if they were okay, but then the background came into focus. They were looking at Caroline bombard another version of the couple beside him, with questions at the Grille, Matt in tow.

"What is this?" Alaric asked.

"We don't know. At first, it was us watching the same conversation that we just had, deciding to leave. Now, it's this," Bonnie said from her spot under Damon's arm, which had her clasped to his side.

It was still weird for Alaric to see the two of them like this. But he had to admit, it was nice and they both seem happy. Like, blissfully and disgustingly adorably happy. He couldn't recall a time previously, in which he had seen either look even remotely close to this happy.

The scene in front of them changed. Bonnie and Damon were in the Camaro, which was parked on the side of a deserted road. Alaric quickly averted his eyes the moment he realized what the two in the scene were doing. "Really?" He asked. "Just out in the open like that? Anyone could have seen you."

Bonnie giggled, which is not something Alaric thought she even knew how to do. "Hey! Don't knock it till you've tried it. Damon just looked so hot, singing to the radio with the wind blowing in his hair. Plus, he looked at me with this look of pure love in his eyes and smiled. I mean how could I not want to jump his bones? I just love this guy so much, and I want to celebrate it any chance that we can."

Seriously, this must be a twilight zone. Bonnie had always been somewhat shy, at least when it came to guys. She had never been afraid to put Damon in his place, but around a guy who might be into her… No, she was a blusher. And here she was, talking about having sex, with Damon, with no hint of a blush or embarrassment. Alaric mentally admonished himself, 'Get it together. Yes, Bonnie and Damon are together. Yes, they are happy. Yes, they are in love. Get over it, there are way more important things to worry about.'

Damon kissed Bonnie's cheek and laughed. Good to know that she wants him just as much as he wants her. God, does he want her… pretty much all the time, anywhere. Before he could get too distracted, he returned his attention back to the random memories that were speeding by.

Hawaii. That was a fun time, and while it wasn't for their honeymoon, they certainly treated it like it was. Damon smirked, remembering that they had decided to go for a month, since they couldn't exactly add the state to their road trip. They jet skied, swam with the dolphins (never mind that Damon kept calling them the rapists of the sea, it was what Bonnie wanted), explored all of the islands and the beautiful nature. But, mostly, they had sex. They made love behind a waterfall, on a boat, on a private beach, and hidden away in their villa.

"Seriously, guys. I get it. You love each other, but do I really need to see this?" Alaric turned completely away from the many (too many in his opinion) Bamon sex scenes.

Damon shrugged, "Hey, you're the interloper at this party. All this is doing for me, is reminding me how much I love exploring my wife's body. If you weren't here, I'd pull Bonnie down and make sweet, sweet love to her."

She playfully batted his stomach, and addressed Alaric's comments. "Sorry, not sorry. I mean, of course I'm sorry that you had to see this, but I wouldn't change a thing about each instant."

Just then, the scene changed from the two of them making love in their apartment, to their wedding ceremony. When Alaric heard the wedding march, he turned quickly around. Before him, stood his best friend, with a look of pure wonder and astonishment as Bonnie walked down the aisle with a thousand watt smile. When she reached him, Damon couldn't help himself but to kiss her. The minister cleared his throat, and the two of them pulled away laughing.

Alaric smiled when he saw Damon mouth 'you look beautiful' to Bonnie. He teared up, right along with them as each one read their vows. He laughed when, after the minister gave them permission to kiss, Bonnie jumped Damon and he spun her around. He couldn't help be thankful that he got to witness their ceremony of love. He knew, Stefan and Caroline and Matt weren't so lucky. He figured that he should probably keep it to himself, at least for now.

The memory changed again, to the two of them on the side of the road confused. This must be the moment when they first came to. 'Wow,' he thought, 'they weren't lying. Damon was adamant about marrying Bonnie almost immediately. Damn.' That meant Damon must have actually been in love with Bonnie from before. No magic has the power to create love; it had to already have been present for both of them to feel this strongly. How had Alaric missed it?

Scene change. It was the other side, Damon touched Bonnie and nothing happened. He didn't look surprised, which surprised Alaric. Bonnie said goodbye to everyone for both of them, and they grasped hands facing the oncoming light together.

"We don't remember this." Bonnie watched, and as she did the feelings that she felt during the moment in the scene returned to her. She had been sad, resigned, but ultimately thankful that she wasn't alone. Thankful that Damon was there with her.

Damon in turn remembered his feelings on the matter. He remembered being somewhat relieved that it was ending. He felt slightly sad when he said goodbye to Elena, but he was happy that he would be going into the light with Bonnie. He didn't want her to die alone. Truthfully, he was glad that he wouldn't have to live, once again knowing that Bonnie Bennett no longer existed in this world.

Moment after moment played before them. Every single one, leaving them with more knowledge of their true identities. Even more importantly, an understanding of what they had experienced and how they truly felt. Turns out, that hindsight truly is 20/20.

Damon now knew the real reason he stopped at nothing to bring Bonnie back to life. He didn't actually care about having a witch on hand. No, he wanted Bonnie. He needed her to live, both for himself and for her. She deserved to live. He was so pissed that she sacrificed herself for baby Gilbert. He was so damn worried about her using Expression. On that island, he could have just left it at saying he could have hugged her, but he needed it. He needed to hug her to ground himself. God, the first time he had to face her after killing her mother wrecked him. No wonder he couldn't look Elena in the eye. He had previously believed it to be because he was mad that he disappointed her. No, it was because he was pissed that he had to do that… and for her. She wasn't worth it. He knew it. And when Stefan lost that coin toss, his heart dropped. He knew Stefan would kill Bonnie. Damon couldn't let that happen, because there was no doubt in his mind that Bonnie would not complete the transformation.

The moment he saw her, lifeless in appearance he felt disdain for himself. How could he have let her go through with this? She was so small, when he picked her up and put her in his car. He didn't feel anything until her eyes fluttered and she spoke, life returning to her features. He had wanted to stay, but baby Gilbert showed up. He hated that kid. He didn't like the way that the dog's uncle was looking at her, before the Masquerade. Mason wasn't worthy of even getting to glance at the witch's form. Damon reveled in killing him, never mind that Bonnie despised him for it. He thanked her. He never thanked anyone, and he thanked her. If someone had paid attention to them, they would have thought the two of them were having a lover's quarrel. He stood so close to her, his features appreciative, while she stared at him with distrust in her eyes. He would have kissed her, had he thought she would have let him get away with it. By Gods, how he wanted to kiss her. Her grandmother was dead, and it was his fault. Perhaps he wouldn't have felt so guilty if that bitch had been there; if she had been worthy. But she wasn't and he did. Guilt permeated his entire being. He almost killed her. He had promised that he would protect her line and he almost killed her. Stefan had to heal her with his blood… It didn't make sense why he was so angry about Stefan giving her his blood. Damon didn't want her to die, and he knew that the only way to heal her was vampire blood. Why then, did it feel like betrayal that Bonnie had Stefan's blood in her system?

She was so beautiful, he could hardly breathe. When her green eyed glance landed on him, he was stunned. He couldn't help but to tell himself not to go near her. He knew he wasn't worthy, and he took his self-hatred out on the blonde she had previously been speaking with.

Bonnie, on the other hand, realized she felt more agony at having to not only witness Damon's goodbye to Elena but to participate in it. She should have been more upset about Jeremy, yet she felt jealous of Damon's love for Elena. She did however, feel extremely grateful that perhaps Damon and her would find some beyond together. She realized he felt guilty. He felt guilty of her pain, yet she couldn't help feel pleased that he cared at all. He was the only one who really cared enough to bring her back to life. She watched in astonishment as he did everything in his power to bring her back to life. His reaction to finding out she was dead was the most painful for her. Why was that?

When she was alive, memories of the hug on the island had been blocked out but she remembered. She remembered the way he smelled when she buried her face in his neck, and how safe she felt in his arms during that hug. She had been so scared and confused, and that hug brought her home. He killed her mom. She couldn't believe it. She had come to actually trust and slightly respect Damon and he killed her mom. She was pissed, and she was even more pissed because it seemed like he did it to protect her from Stefan. That couldn't be… could it? Of course not. He was just a monster who would do anything for Elena.

Her body may have looked lifeless, but she was very aware of her surroundings. Because of that, she knew how he talked to her motionless body as he drove them to the witches' house. His voice sounded affected by the sight of her. His face looked worried and pained, and he couldn't shut up about the plan. Kept reminding her of this she needed to do, once she woke up. Prior to that, they danced. They dance and he was worried. She never imagined she would feel so at home in a vampires arms. Why didn't she feel like this with Jeremy?

She was both annoyed and extremely tickled that Damon kept popping up, whenever Mason was near her. Annoyed because, come on, Mason was hot. Tickled because, try as she might to deny it, she found Damon's anger at Mason's interest in her to be quite amusing. Her grandmother was dead. She will never get to bake with her in the kitchen, tell her stupid drama in her life, or listen to her tell Bonnie funny anecdotes. It was his fault, and she hated him. She hated him, and she despised him, and she maybe sorta felt bad for the guy. A hundred plus years he held a torch for some broad and did everything in his power to free her from a life of imprisonment, and she wasn't even there. She had been free the whole time, and didn't care one iota about Damon. That had to suck. Don't get her wrong, she still hated the douchebag, but still.

She couldn't explain it, but Stefan's blood felt wrong to her. She attributed it to him being a vampire and the fact that drinking blood is so ick. Yet, she never had that problem when Caroline once gave her blood, or even that time that Damon gave her some as a little boost for her powers. Yet, every time Stefan or any other vampire has healed her with their blood, she felt wrong. She hated the sight of her friend kissing the raven haired vampire. Sure, once she learned of what he was and of how he treated Caroline, she understood. But to be honest, her initial reaction felt more like jealously than a sense of fear.

Alaric had to say, his eyes had truly been opened. So many moments between the both of them, and yet because of their history and Damon's inferiority complex and competition with Stefan, they had never taken the steps to link those moments into understanding and love. He could see how they had actually come to love each other without their awareness, and he was pleased that they seemed to have corrected their mistakes.

Other memories, their individual memories without the other played for them. More so Damon's than Bonnie's; mostly due to the fact that Damon had about a hundred and fifty-three years on Bonnie. He could honestly say, both of them had pretty crappy lives. Sure, Damon had more control over many of his circumstances than Bonnie, but still. If Alaric had been in Damon's place, he couldn't say that he wouldn't have reacted in a similar fashion. It's too bad that Lexi girl prevented him from joining up with Stefan. Maybe they would have repaired their relationship sooner. And damn, the Augustine group were straight up horrible. Alaric couldn't believe that Stefan had forced Damon to drink blood, or that their father shot and killed both of them. What a zealot! The makings for Damon being insecure, were all there before, what with his father's judgement and comparisons to Stefan. Yet, it wasn't until Katherine that Damon fell into the mindset that Stefan overshadowed him. Damn, his father's personality did a complete one eighty after their mother died. And she had died, when Damon was still so young.

Suddenly Bonnie, Damon, and Alaric were encompassed by darkness again, before light started shining all around them. They saw two figures emerge and right as one of the newcomers was about to open their mouth, Bonnie interrupted them.

"Grams!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish you guys could be in my brain while I'm typing these stories. You'll see how blank it is. I had no plans of bringing Grams into this story, but apparently the story demanded it. I hope this is an okay update. I also hope it wasn't too longwinded.
> 
> Until next time… ciao!


	7. Chapter 7

Bonnie and Damon's minds

"Grams!"

"Emily?"

Before the three of them stood two of Bonnie's strongest ancestors. Sheila Bennett smiled at her granddaughter and pulled her in for a hug. Emily Bennett raised haughty eyebrow at Damon.

Alaric, ever the historian and resident researcher, wanted answers. "What's going on with these two? Why did they lose their memories, and why did they pass out when they touched Elena?"

The two matriarchs traded a quick glance, before Emily stepped forward. "Destiny is a funny thing. And mix in a couple doppelgängers, two well-meaning witches, Travelers, Silas and Qetsiyah, and the Other Side…. Well, fate can often take longer than once thought."

"What does that mean, Emily?" Damon wrapped his arm around Bonnie, fearing that they were about to be told that her destiny didn't include him. Not that he deserved her. God, there is no doubt in his mind that she deserved better, especially now that they have their memories back.

"It means, child," Sheila said, "that between all of the spells, danger, and hopeless love stories, you and Bonnie had been ignoring fate. Every time you felt something for the other and ignored it. Every time your hearts called for the other and you pursued one of the Gilbert siblings. Every time you tried to kill one another," She raised her eyebrow at Damon, who ducked his head slightly, "You've been ignoring what your souls and heart know to be true. You are soul mates."

"Why do you think that I asked you to be the one to watch over the Bennett line, Damon? It is because I had a vision, the first time I met you, that you and one of my descendants were meant. Had I also been able to foretell the kind of damage you would do to not just yourself but to Bonnie along the way, I might have had to reevaluate the situation."

Damon, Bonnie, and Alaric were all looking at the two Bennett women in shock. Damon was the first to shake himself out of his daze.

"So… Bonnie's mine? I'm hers? Like, for good? You aren't going to try to take her away from me, because I'm a monster or a vampire? I can keep her?" Damon stood there with fear and hope coursing through his voice and his eyes.

Bonnie turned to him, "I'm yours and you're mine. Nothing that anyone says will change that. I love you. Always. Never doubt it." He nodded and kissed her. Once they parted, she took a deep breath and turned back to her family. "Okay, so we are soulmates. Got it. But why did we wake up on the side of the road with no memories?"

"And why did Damon have a pulse," Alaric asked.

"That would be due to a combination of a spell your grams did, and one that I sort of piggybacked on top of." Emily smiled, "You see, Sheila has only ever wanted you to have a chance at having a happy life. When the Other Side was coming down, she made it so that you wouldn't die. So that you could start over, away from the bleeding and fighting that was Mystic Falls."

Sheila took over, "When you took Damon's hand, Bonnie, your heart was full of only love and acceptance for him. The same is true for you Damon. When the spell started working, it knew that the only way you could have a chance at that happy life, was if you were there with the person who you loved the most. That is why Damon is still here. Your love for him and his for you over powered what should have been the end of him."

"Yes. And I saw this as my opening. You see, you might have still continued fighting fate, or possibly even returned to Mystic Falls for your friends or false promises of love. So, I removed your memories and left only how you felt for one another. Without your memories, Damon you were once more returned to the openhearted romantic that you were prior to meeting Katherine. You once more had the mindset of the young man who would protect his brother from his father's wrath. You could love openly again without needing to compete with Stefan. Bonnie, you no longer had your walls that you built once vampires and magic and terror were once more introduced into Mystic Falls. You no longer had to wonder if everyone who you came in contact with would use you like all your friends had in the past. You knew nothing of that anymore. You only knew what you felt for Damon."

"So, you made me love him?"

"No, darling girl. I erased everything else and this allowed you to realize that you loved him. Your love for each other was not fabricated. It is true. It is undying. It is your saving grace. You two are destined for much more than hate and fighting and despair."

Alaric cleared his throat, to keep from getting choked up due to the emotions he could see on his friends' faces. "Uh. Sorry. But why did Damon have a pulse?

Sheila took one of Bonnie's hands and in her other she took Emily's hand. "Yes, that is something we must address. Bonnie, as it is, you are about to bring forth a stronger and more powerful line of Bennett witches."

"What? How?"

"When my spell worked its magic, and your love chose Damon, and the Other Side went up in a bright white light… A spark was ignited in Damon."

Damon was lost, what did this have to do with more Bennett witches? "A spark? I have a pulse because of a spark?"

"You see, that light was pure, unadulterated energy and magic, born of Qetsiyah, the strongest and first of our line… Until Bonnie. Bonnie, prior to dying you were the strongest Bennett witch to have walked this Earth since Qetsiyah. You had no true training, only trial and error. You took on the first and Original Hybrid. You've used expression and lived to tell the tale. You, unwisely, brought back someone not once, but twice."

"If I remember correctly, she died after bring back Baby Gilbert the second time and I had to find a way to bring her back." Damon said, annoyed at how she had so easily sacrificed herself for Jeremy.

"Yes, this is true. But do you think that you would have been successful if something else wasn't at play? Had your love not been strong enough, had Bonnie's body and spirit not been strong enough to hold both sides together, she would not be standing here. Had anyone else been the anchor, your brother, Tyler, Alaric, and yourself would have vanished with the Other Side. Absolutely no one should have been able to bring them back to the land of the living. No one except for Bonnie." The three Scooby members stood there in stunned silence.

Emily continued where Sheila had left off. "So, when the Other Side vanished in that light taking with it all of the supernatural beings with it, the spark of all that energy and magic went into not only you Damon, but you Bonnie. It is what has given you a pulse. Yes, you still have it and you always will. The only reason it is so slow now, is that your vampire side is no longer being buried by my magic. But, you are no longer dead, or at least you are no longer fully dead. You have a spark of life and magic in you. This will make you stronger and better able to protect the Bennett line."

"Okay. Sure. I've seen you Bennetts do some seemingly impossible things in the past, this one especially." He pointed his thumb in Bonnie's direction, and Alaric couldn't help nodding in agreement. "But as far as I know, there are only two Bennetts alive, that is if Lucy is still alive and we aren't counting Deadbeat Abby, since I," he cleared his throat, "turned her into a vampire."

"Yes, well, this is true. But only for a few more months. You see, that spark of life in you allowed for Bonnie to become pregnant. Which she is. I would say about a month or so along. Perhaps Hawaii might have played a factor in this." She smiled as the two lovebirds shifted awkwardly. "Soon, Bonnie will give birth to the first of her children; the new line of Bennett witches, the first of their kind."

"I'm pregnant? Truly?" Emily and Sheila nodded. "Woah… That's kind of awesome." She smiled and turned to Damon, who looked… not quite so happy. "Do you not, uh, do you not want children?"

"With you, yeah. Yes, I couldn't imagine a better mother for our children. I just am not so sure I'll be able to say the same about me as their dad. I don't want to ruin them the way my father ruined me. What if… What if they hate me?"

The other three looked away to provide the young couple some semblance of privacy.

"They won't hate you, Damon. You didn't have the best role model for a dad, and I didn't have the best role model for a mom. That's okay. I don't care. If you love me, I love you, and we love our children then we are doing our best. And you and I together is pretty damn great from what I remember."

Damon sighed, kissed Bonnie, before resting his forehead against hers. "What did you mean by the first of their kind?"

Realizing that the couple no longer needed privacy the other three looked back at them. "Their father is a vampire. Not just any vampire, but a vampire who has a spark of magic coursing through him. A vampire who could, theoretically be stronger than an Original." Everyone smiled when Damon looked at her in shock. "And their mother is a witch. The strongest witch to have ever been. A witch whose body is changing with the pregnancy. A witch who is starting to take on abilities of a vampire." Now everyone was staring in shock.

"I'm turning into a vampire?"

"No, child," Sheila answered. "You are pregnant with a child that is part vampire. A child that needs more blood than a normal fetus. To adapt, your body is healing faster and you are stronger. This will continue until you deliver the baby."

"And after."

"After that, well the abilities will be yours for good. You will not crave blood, while you are pregnant or otherwise. You will not age, nor die until you will it so. Although, it may be in your child's best interest if you drink a small amount of Damon's blood every day."

"And you are both okay with this?" Damon asked. "You are okay that your descendants will be part vampire."

"Yes. I knew this is what would come to pass. I did not see how it was that a vampire could procreate, but I knew that this would be." Emily was always a powerful seer as well as powerful witch.

"I… I will admit, did not want to believe it when Emily told me that my grandbaby would marry and have children with Damon Salvatore. I was perhaps smug once learning how much you two hated each other. That was, until I died. I watched you two. It was only then that I was able to see what Emily had foretold so long ago. You two belong together. Bonnie's her strongest when she is with you, and vice versa. So yes… The Bennett ancestors are more than fine with it; they are happy. This is what is to be."

"Now that you understand, and your supernatural sides and memories are no longer being suppressed, it is time for you to return to your friends. Give them a chance to be better than they were and they will surprise. They will be yours and your children's fiercest protectors and allies."

Before they could leave, Alaric asked what he had been dying to ask. "How are you both here? I thought the spirits vanished with the Other Side."

Sheila smirked at him before turning away. "We are Bennett witches, child. Dead or alive, we will be."

Boardinghouse

To those standing around Bonnie and Damon's prone bodies, it looked like only seconds had passed since Alaric touched their foreheads. At the same time, all three of them opened their eyes.

"What happened?!" Stefan asked the three of them.

Caroline grabbed her smaller friend and squeezed her. "I know you don't remember me, really. But I'm happy that you are okay. And seriously, you guys need to get out of here. Do not touch Elena! Do not pass go! Just leave, okay? Leave. I would rather you be alive than to lose you." She started sniffling and crying about halfway through.

"Caroline," Bonnie said, "I need to breathe. After all these years, you would think you would remember that. I may be a strong, amped up super witch, who is pregnant with the first ever vamp-witch hybrids, but oxygen is still required." She laugh hoarsely after her friend had let her go.

"I'm sorry, I- Wait… What! Pregnant? Vampire-witch hybrids?! Damon got you pregnant? Damon go you pregnant! OMG! This is crazy. How. You know what? It doesn't matter right now, my best friend is pregnant!" Caroline had quickly pulled Bonnie to her feet and they were both jumping up and down laughing.

Stefan turned to Damon with a look of awe in his eyes, and there was not one trace of jealousy. "You are going to have a kid?" He let out a shocked chuckle. "I'm going to be an uncle. This is amazing! You will let us come visit you, right? Please. I won't ask you to come back here, but please let me be a part of my niece or nephews life."

Caroline, having heard Stefan, stopped laughing and jumping.

"Actually," Damon said as he took Bonnie's hand. "We were thinking we would stay a while. Turns out, this kid is going to need all the help they can get. And that decision is Emily and Sheila approved."

Caroline and Elena both turned to Bonnie. "You saw your grams?"

She nodded with happy tears in her eyes.

"Tell us everything!"


End file.
